The invention relates to a heating system for a tower mounted wind machine and more particularly to an apparatus for delivering a combustible fuel to a burner, the burner rotatably mounted on the tower, in the air stream of the wind machine.
Conventional wind machines are widely used in agricultural applications, often to prevent springtime frost damage to a crop by circling the air near the crop. To supplement the circulation of air with a direct heating of the air, the wind machines have been fitted with heaters.
Prior wind machine devices with heating features include U.S. Pat. No. 3,067,541 to Smith, which includes heater fuel combustion along the trailing edges of the wind machine""s propeller blades. To deliver the fuel into the rotating propeller, a concentric set of tubing is employed within a rotary joint. The tubing set includes a stationary pipe received within a rotating pipe. O-ring seals are positioned within the overlapping flared and butted portions of the pipes, within the rotary joint, as detailed in FIG. 6, therein. A significant problem with this central rotary joint is that it cannot be applied to a conventional wind machine. The Smith ""541 apparatus does not require a drive shaft and so the central, rotary joint can occupy this axial position. However, the drive shaft for the conventional wind machine""s propeller is typically positioned in the rotational center of the wind machine""s connection to the tower.
Another heating wind machine is found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,296,739 to Wiegel, which discloses a burner mounted near the hub of the propeller. A rotary connection supplies fuel through the rotating, upper section of the fan. The rotary connection of Wiegel ""739 is detailed in FIG. 4, therein. The connection includes a hollow sleeve that couples to a fuel supply pipe. The hollow sleeve conducts the fuel into the upper section where it communicates with a lateral passage. An O-ring between the hollow sleeve and an upperjoint section establishes a fluid tight seal. The wind machine rotates on the tower or support about a vertical axis. The Wiegel rotary connection is a simple pipe connection and so must be positioned at the bulls-eye center of the wind machine""s vertical axis of rotation. Weigel provides a source of mechanical power for the wind machine on the rotating, upper portion of the wind machine and so avoids the need for a drive shaft that extends upward, along the rotational axis of the support. A rotatable connection for delivering liquids and fuels for a tower mounted wind machine and heater is needed that does not require location at the center of the wind machine""s vertical axis of rotation.
The present invention provides a heating system for a tower mounted wind machine. The invention includes a burner that is rotatably mounted on the tower, in the air stream of the wind machine. The burner receives a combustible fuel conducted through a rotatable manifold on the central tower.
The wind machine is a conventional type, generating the air stream by the rotation of a propeller. The wind machine is received on the top of a central tower. The manifold also mounts to the central tower, proximate the wind machine. The manifold has an inner ring and an outer ring. The inner ring mounts in a fixed position to the central tower, and the outer ring circumferentially mounts on the inner ring. The outer ring is rotatable relative to the inner ring. The inner ring includes a fuel inlet, and the outer ring includes a fuel outlet.
The heating system of the present invention further includes a burner mounted proximate the wind machine. The burner combusts the fuel that is conducted through the manifold. The fuel is combusted by the burner to heat the air stream.
According to an aspect of the present invention, the outer ring is cooperatively rotatable about the wind machine with respect to the central tower and is maintained in a synchronous position with respect to the wind machine.
One advantage of the present invention is that the manifold can be utilized for non-combustible fluids. The non-combustible fluids employed for purposes such a as frost protection, humidifying, cooling or agricultural chemical delivery and dispersing.
According to another advantage of the present invention, a heating system for a wind machine is provided that employs a ring shaped manifold, which does not interfere with the propeller drive of the conventionally configured wind machine.
Still further aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from consideration of the following figures and description.